Volatile components of Pimpinella tragium Vill. from Iran

Volatile components of three parts of Pimpinella tragium Vill. (Umbelliferae family) from Iran were investigated qualitatively and quantitatively for the first time. Essential oils were isolated by hydro-distillation from stems plus leaves, inflorescence and seeds of P. tragium individually. The plant materials were collected from Polour (Northeast of Tehran Province). The yields of the stems plus leaves, inflorescence and seed oils were 0.08%, 0.37% and 1.33%w/w, respectively. Eighteen constituents in the stems plus leaves oil, twenty-six constituents in the inflorescence oil and twenty-three constituents in the seed oil were identified. Major constituents of the stems plus leaves oil were: germacrene D (34.7%), germacrene B (18.3%), bornyl acetate (15.8%), ?-caryophyllene (5.6%) and ?-pinene (4.5%). Major constituents of the inflorescence oil were: ?-pinene (23.8%), germacrene B (14.1%), hexadecanol (10.3%), ?-caryophyllene (7.3%), germacrene D (6.2%) and bornyl acetate (4.1%). Main components of the seed oil were: ?-pinene (25.3%), germacrene B (17.8%), sabinene (13.6%), ?-caryophyllene (4.8%) and hexadecanol (4.7%).